FOI Requests

Freedom of Information Requests

Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (“FOIPPA”), you have the right to request access to information in the custody or control of BC Financial Services Authority (“BCFSA”). If you would like to access your personal information or records in our possession, you must make a written freedom of information (“FOI”) request. 

Before submitting an FOI request to BCFSA, please consider the following:

• Check the relevant section of our website first, as the information you need may already be available online. Also, ensure BCFSA is the right organization to address your request. 
• Be specific in your request. In accordance with FOIPPA, processing fees can be applied if the retrieval and production of records exceeds three hours, so it is important to be as specific as possible.  
• If you are looking for copies of real estate disclosure statements issued under the Real Estate Development Marketing Act, please refer to our real estate developer page. As these records are available for purchase, they are not subject to the FOI request process.  

Make a Formal FOI Request

You can make an FOI request using the fillable Freedom of Information Request for Access to Records form.

In order to request a record, submit a request by email to foi@bcfsa.ca or by mail or in-person at:

Attn: Privacy Officer
BC Financial Services Authority
600-750 West Pender Street
Vancouver, B.C.
V6C 2T8

Review and Acknowledgment

Your FOI request will be reviewed to determine whether the information you are seeking is routinely available, or if further searching, compiling, and review is required. We will contact you within one business day to confirm receipt of your request, provide you with a file number, and to advise of any delays we expect.

We will also provide details about how you can submit the $10 application fee. Payment of an application fee is required for all requests, except for those for your own personal information, or where the request was transferred from another government body and you have already paid the application fee.

An Indigenous governing entity is not required to pay the application fee. In accordance with FOIPPA, an Indigenous governing entity “means an Indigenous entity that exercises governmental functions, and includes but is not limited to an Indigenous governing body as defined in the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.”

BCFSA will respond to your FOI request within 30 business days of receipt or after receiving your application fee, if applicable. In some cases, we may extend the 30-day time period for responding (for example, if you have not given enough detail to enable BCFSA to identify a requested record, or where a large volume of records has been requested). If this occurs, BCFSA will notify you as soon as possible stating the reason for the extension and when a response can be expected.

Gathering of Information

Once your request is received, we will contact the appropriate department(s) to retrieve the records you are seeking. We will advise you if there is a large quantity of records, and/or if there are additional processing fees associated with your information request.

Review of Information

We will review the information for completeness and privacy concerns. If there is information we cannot provide, we will remove it from the document and mark it with the relevant section(s) of FOIPPA to explain why it has been withheld. Those sections are called “exceptions to disclosure” and include the following categories of information:

• Policy advice or recommendations;
• Legal advice or information subject to solicitor-client privilege;
• Information harmful to law enforcement, investigations, or the safety or security of a property or system;
• Information harmful to intergovernmental relations or negotiations;
• Information harmful to the financial or economic interests of a public body, or the ability of the B.C. government to manage the economy;
• Disclosure harmful to interests of an Indigenous people;
• Information harmful to individual or public safety;
• Information to be published or released within 60 days;
• Information harmful to the business interests of a third party; or
• Information harmful to a third party’s personal privacy.

Processing Fees

Your formal request may be subject to additional fees. These fees are listed in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Regulation. We will provide you with an estimate if it appears that your request may result in additional fees. Please note that we are prohibited from charging fees for requests for your own personal information.

Release of Information

We will prepare your information release and send it to you by email, mail, or secure file transfer, or advise you that it is ready to be picked up.

BCFSA may refuse access to certain records or personal information where authorized or required by law. Where access is refused, you will be notified of this decision in writing and provided reasons for the refusal.

Complaints

If you are dissatisfied with the results of an information request or with the way BCFSA has handled your personal information, you may submit a complaint to BCFSA. The BCFSA Privacy Officer (contact details listed above) will review the complaint and make every reasonable effort to resolve it.

You may also request a review, seek advice from, or file a written complaint with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (“OIPC”). The OIPC provides independent oversight and enforcement of B.C.’s access and privacy laws.

The OIPC ensures that your rights under FOIPPA are protected and that disputes are resolved in a fair and unbiased manner.

Complaints and review requests can be sent to:

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
PO Box 9038, Stn. Prov. Govt
4th Floor, 947 Fort Street
Victoria, BC V8V 3K3
Telephone number: (250) 387-5629
Facsimile number: (250) 387-1696
Website: https://www.oipc.bc.ca/